


Reel Around The Fountain

by Schwayguy



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: :/, Canonical Character Death, Dark Side of Dimensions, Expanding on canon, Grief/Mourning, I wrote this at 2:30am, Kaiba brothers, M/M, Pre-Dark Side of Dimensions, Relationship Study, Self-Indulgent, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, angst ngl, random oc character, there will possibly be a sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 14:17:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20875604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schwayguy/pseuds/Schwayguy
Summary: Mokuba comes to terms that his brother is mourning in his own way.





	Reel Around The Fountain

**Author's Note:**

> [Reel Around The Fountain](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V04bUY5Kl8w)

Seto holds his breath as the familiar figure walks through the door. This is the first time he has seen him in months. Ever since his departure. As he lays eyes on his complete form, Seto grimaces.

"Halt. Stop the programme," he sighs.

"Sir?" Questions who he can only assume is Doctor L'Baux.

"It's wrong. It's all wrong," he scowls as the displays in front of him dim and shut off altogether, bringing him back to the lab setting.

"What exactly is it that is wrong, mister Kaiba?"

"It doesn't look like him. That was Yugi in there. I want the Pharoah," Seto glares at Doctor L'Baux. "You're fired, do you understand? You've held me back for the last time, Doctor. You slipped up, and you're gone," his tone is steady and cold.

"Y-yes, Mr Kaiba, I apologise—"

"Get out of my sight. Roland, prepare my lab for tonight. If you want something done right, you must do it yourself. This may even be my fault for intrusting a bunch of idiots with something like this."

"Yes, Mr Kaiba!" Roland bows and runs off into the elevator, the door slowly shutting behind him.

"Mokuba, transfer the file to my lab," Seto looks into the control room and meets eyes with his brother.

"Right! Already ahead of you, Seto!" Mokuba gives his brother a thumbs up and beams him a smile. Seto makes his way to the elevator, preparing to rerun the models he does have in the system. 

Mokuba sighs as Seto exits the testing centre of the lab. _ A smile would be appreciated _ . But Seto hadn't been the same since he heard the news. The Pharoah passed on. Yugi Mutou defeated him in Egypt, thus letting his spirit make its way to the afterlife. The man that had beat down Seto so many times gets to move on from this world and pass to the next. _ And that is unfair _ . _ How dare he not take accountability for all the lives he had changed. Especially Seto's. He won't stop working, he won't smile, he hardly pays attention to me anymore. I curse you, Pharaoh. You didn't even say goodbye. You left him without so much as a letter. You left me to haul the empty shell of a man that was once my brother. It wasn't just you that left that day, you took Seto with you. I used to admire you. I thought you had changed my brother's life for the better. He wasn't the same vengeful man he had been when he first inherited Kaiba Corp. But I was wrong. You only came into his life to steal the light from him. You who already shone so bright— how dare you. _

* * *

Mokuba knocks on the door leading to Seto's lab. It had been three days since he had last seen Seto. He hadn't left his office since the firing of Dr L'Baux. He gets no response.

"Seto, I'm sorry to bother you, but it's been three days and you haven't left your lab," Mokuba fidgets.

"I'm fine, Mokuba," is the only response he gets.

"Have you even eaten, Seto? Slept?"

"I'm busy, Mokuba."

"Promise me you'll make it to dinner tonight, Seto," Mokuba pleads.

"Mokuba, I am busy. I will be out once I complete what I am working on," he hears Seto sigh.

"If you're not going to leave your lab, at least let me eat dinner with you in there. I'm worried about you, Seto."

There is a pause. Mokuba opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted.

"Fine. Okay. You can eat dinner here while I work. No distractions," Seto sternly speaks. 

Mokuba gets more excited than he'd like to admit. His heart pounds. "Alright, Seto! I'll be back in two hours!" He shouts and hurries off. He takes his phone out of his pocket and dials the kitchen. He'll have them prepare Seto's favourite food tonight. _ Maybe it will lift your spirits, remembering who you were before him. Even if just for tonight. _

* * *

Seto's left-hand fidgets with his glasses, his right-hand moves the holographic figure of the man he is trying to replicate. He lets go of the glasses on his face and enlarges one of the pictures he is using as a reference. The details taking up most of his time are the Pharaoh's hair and eyes. _ It seems there are some things even my tech will fail to perfectly capture. The look of determination in your eyes with a hint of mirth, even when the odds are against you. The texture of your multicoloured hair— _

"Seto!" The voice of Mokuba calls for him. 

Seto ignores him as he carefully eyes the holographic man in front of him. He is so very close to completing his likeness. Though he is not able to perfectly capture every detail of him, Seto looks past that, assuring himself that it will make it all the better for when he finally meets with him for the first time. The real him.

"Seto! Dinner is ready, open up!" Mokuba calls out again.

"Mokuba, I needn't be disturbed right now," Seto shouts back.

"Seto, you promised. You promised Seto," Mokuba angrily strikes the door.

Seto swipes his glasses off and marches towards the lab door. He runs a hand through his unwashed hair before opening the door. Mokuba looks up at him with unreadable eyes, a serving cart in front of him. 

"Don't throw tantrums, Mokuba. You're far too mature to be acting like a child," he sternly speaks.

"I am a child, Seto, maybe you should stop acting like a child and realise that you're living a fantasy," Mokuba's expression does not falter.

Seto is taken aback by Mokuba's sudden change in attitude. "Enough, Mokuba. I don't like your tone. Change your attitude before I—"

"Before you what? Fire me?" Seto gives a wide-eyed stare into Mokuba's eyes. The harsh look in his eyes breaks and tears start forming. Seto moves aside and walks into the lab. Mokuba follows behind him and the lab door closes.

Mokuba looks around the lab and meets eyes with the computerised version of the Pharaoh his brother has been working on. It twisted his stomach in knots just looking at him. It looks exactly like him. Down to the last detail. It feels like the real him is standing in this lab. And Mokuba can't help but glare at this false Pharaoh.

"What did you bring for dinner?" Seto questions after an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Come see for yourself," Mokuba gives him a small smile as he lifts the cloche to reveal the plate.

"Macaroni and cheese?" Seto questions.

"I know you prefer Filet Mignon, but this used to be your favourite," Mokuba looks him in the eye. "When it was us two against the world.

"I see," is all Seto says. He doesn't want to argue with Mokuba anymore. _ That was in the past, Mokuba. When we were looked down upon. When we were seen as nothing but beggars. When we were beaten down by life. Those are the days I long to forget. Why can't you let them go? _

"Come eat before it gets cold, Seto. You can put down your work for a couple of minutes. He's not going to go anywhere. Not anymore, at least," Mokuba looks down at his plate. He grabs a burger off of it before looking back up at Seto. Seto still stands looking at the holographic model of him. Mokuba puts his burger back down and sadly sighs. Seto is grieving him. He knows that. His denial is gone; the first stage. Now he is just angry. Grief is an ugly thing; Mokuba knows, but he also knows that Seto will never reach the final stage: acceptance; because Seto Kaiba will always have his way.

* * *

After a few minutes, Seto finally takes a seat across from Mokuba at the round table in the lab.

"I hope your dinner hasn't gotten cold, Seto," Mokuba says, a smile plastered on his face. For a moment, he thought he was going to have to throw the food out. He is relieved Seto put down his work to eat.

The aroma finally hits Seto. He hadn't eaten in nearly four days. He eagerly digs into the plate of pasta. Mokuba eyes him from across the table, worried.

"I also brought mashed potatoes and gravy if you want some," Mokuba speaks as Seto takes a long drink of water.

"Mokuba," Seto speaks after a while. "I will have a team preparing an excavation project in two days."

"Seto, don't tell me—"

"Yes. I will be putting the Millennium Puzzle back together soon. And I will revive the Pharaoh."

"Seto, this has gone on long enough! He's gone. Why can't you just accept it? Yugi has accepted it. The people that were closest to the Pharoah have accepted it. Why can't you?" Mokuba abruptly stands, his fists strike the table, causing the platters and silverware to clink.

"Because I have to ability to bring him back. I have what they don't— my tech has never failed me and never will," Seto looks at Mokuba briefly before standing as well.

"Seto, promise me that if the puzzle doesn't bring him back, you'll stop. You'll move on. You want me to so desperately move on from our time at the orphanage, but you see, I can't. Because at least you smiled then. You looked lively— no matter if we lived in misery. I just want you to smile, Seto," Mokuba shouts, his tears finally escaping. He balls his hands back into fists as he stares at Seto with eyes full of mixed emotions. 

Seto walks over to him and kneels, meeting his eye level.

"Mokuba, that is why I am doing this. I want to move on. I—I want to finally beat him. And make him feel how I feel; crushed and miserable. He thought he could look down on me. But I will not let him— even in death. No one will ever look down on Seto Kaiba again. Not him, not Yugi, not anyone. And when I finally crush him, I will reclaim my place on the throne, and no one will ever dare look down on us again, little brother."

Mokuba hugs Seto tightly and nods. All he can do is pray to whatever God may be up there— to let this one last miracle happen. Let Seto's plan work. Let Seto crush the Pharaoh— not just for Seto's sake, but for his own. No matter how crazy of a plan, maybe Seto is right. He shouldn't second guess his brother. Seto has never broken a promise. If he promises to bring back and crush the Pharaoh, Mokuba knows that someway— somehow, Seto will do it.

* * *

Seto sees to it that Mokuba falls asleep. Today had taken a toll on his younger brother. Seto acknowledges that it is his fault for not listening. It is a bad habit. But Mokuba's outburst gives Seto more determination to get his plan moving. He will defeat the Pharaoh.

Seto walks back into his lab. The door shuts behind him and the eyes of the Pharaoh seem to follow him as he walks across the room. _ I only need to add the finishing touches and the last step of my programme is complete. After nearly a year of work, I will take the first step to assure your defeat, Pharaoh. _

Seto dons the duel disk prototype and adjusts his headset. The displays in front of him shut off for a brief moment. He shuts his eyes and concentrates his stream of thought.

"Pharaoh," Seto speaks as he opens his eyes. In front of him stands a hyperrealistic model of the man he has restlessly tried to recreate.

"Kaiba," he speaks back to him.

A small smirk spreads on Seto's lips.

"Although you're merely a replacement, I will defeat you," he speaks, keeping a watchful eye on the hologram.

"I sense you did not simply create me to duel, is that correct?" the hologram speaks, a sly smile on its lips.

Seto is disconcerted. There must be an error somewhere—

"I can assure you it's no glitch, Kaiba. The headset you have on— it gives life to your very thoughts, no?"

Seto closes his eyes, attempting to reset the programme. _ It's working too well. _

"Kaiba, you shouldn't lie to Mokuba. You shouldn't lie to yourself."

"What are you talking about?" Seto's eyes suddenly open. The scene has changed. It's his bedroom? The Pharaoh sits on his bed, the school uniform jacket he usually wore as a cape lays on the floor. Seto rapidly looks away, shutting his eyes again.

"Kaiba. You can't run from your thoughts..." The voice trails off and Seto opens his eyes again.

This time he is straddling him, the Pharaoh lays still on his bed as Seto looks down at him.

"This is quite naughty, Kaiba. How long have you been hiding these feeling for? Do you think Mokuba hasn't picked up on them before you have?" The Pharaoh reaches his hand up to Seto's jaw, the ghost feeling of fingers sliding across his jawline send shivers down his spine.

"N-no, I want vengeance! I want you to feel utterly crushed— I want you to feel how I have felt all these years—"

"Revenge? You lie, Seto Kaiba. Deep down, you're glad someone took you off your high horse. That someone brought you back down to Earth from your castle in the sky."

"That's not true—"

"Be honest with yourself, Kaiba. This is not normal. You would wake me from eternal slumber? Why can't you let me rest?"

"Because," Seto gives the hologram one last look before he closes his eyes. "You're the closest I've had to a worthy adversary."

"Worthy adversary? I'm flattered that I was worthy enough for someone like Seto Kaiba."

Seto opens his eyes again. This time he is sitting next to the Pharaoh, his hand on his thigh. He leans in close to the hologram.

"But you're not worthy. And I'll prove it," he whispers before closing his eyes and taking off the headset.

* * *

Mokuba can only stare as Seto starts cursing up a storm. His suspicions have been confirmed. _ Seto is in love with the Pharaoh. Seto, you idiot. Don't you know that these feeling are natural? Defeating him won't change a thing. _

Mokuba quietly walks away from the door and heads towards his room, a small smile rests on his face.

This revelation makes everything abundantly clear. Seto had finally found love only for it to vanish. How cruel. How very cruel. _ I'll be there every step of the way, big bro— I'll help you through this grief. We'll fight it, together. _

**Author's Note:**

> I apologise if this was nonsensical, started writing late and got depressed lmao. May write a post-DSOD fic as a sequel.


End file.
